Author:Jordan Blum
With the Stormwatch deluxe set on the horizon for this summer, what better time to have a look at this next book in the excellent On Track series, dealing with the canon of the mighty Tull.
As with the previous books, this looks at each album song by song, including compilations and Ian Anderson’s solo efforts, giving a brief but informative summary of each piece. The author provides some interesting insights into both music and lyrics for this most quintessentially English of bands, whose catalogue veers from blues to prog to folk to rock as the years pass. I’m primarily a fan of their seventies work really, from Benefit through to Stormwatch, although that’s certainly not to dismiss the earlier and later albums – I have a lot of time for the Broadsword album, in my opinion the last great Tull record, although oddly the author is quite dismissive of it. He is quite good on the merits of the later albums from Crest onwards, which I must confess I haven’t listened to more than a handful of times each – indeed, the book has inspired me to give a second chance to albums like Catfish Rising, Roots To Branches and JTull.com to see if I missed anything first time around. The author does make an interesting claim that Anderson’s solo works TAAB 2 and Homo Erraticus are as good, if not better than, any Tull album after Stormwatch. I’m not sure I totally agree with that – TAAB 2 is a bit patchy for me, although it does have its moments, but certainly Homo Erraticus is a fine piece of work and is perhaps the pick of the bunch from Anderson’s later years. The book is comprehensive overall, but it does fall down on its coverage of the excellent series of standard setting deluxe reissues, which it really rather skimps over, doing little more than listing the contents of each one, when I would have though there was scope for a much more in depth look. Nevertheless, I did enjoy the book as a whole, a very pleasant way to pass a few hours on a sunny Bank Holiday afternoon, and of course there’s still Ian Anderson’s official Tull book to look forward to towards the end of the year.
Length of Read:Short
Might appeal to people who enjoyed…
I’d certainly recommend this for fans, especially as there aren’t too many books around on this influential and quite unique band, but, as with all these books, it’s not really aimed at non – converts.
One thing you’ve learned
Looking at the upcoming releases in this ongoing series, similar titles on Genesis, Crimson, Zappa, The Moody Blues and Steely Dan, to name just a few, are on their way in the coming months.(The publisher’s official store over at Burning Shed usually has stock several weeks before Amazon.)
“the last great Tull record” – they should make that the title of the any Broadsword and the Beast boxset.
How a short book is going to cover the Zappa canon has me curious.
First volume covers just 1966-79.
Not sure if Scottish born Ian Anderson would like to be described as “quintesentially English”…
I cant believe this thread has been up for over a day and no response as yet from @Twang ?
Ah yes I’ve been busy. It’s quite pricy at 13 quid so I’m pondering.
I sprang for 100 or so back-issues of A New Day. Worked out at about 35p each. Bargain. And also taking up my Tull reading for the foreseeable.
I’ve got a few other Tull books plus the books in all the reissue sets so I think I’m good.
So what you’re saying is that you have *enough* Tull?
No, just enough books about them. Till Ian’s comes out…
Really looking forward to the Stormwatch reissue.
Same here, on both counts.
I’m hoping that after Stormwatch they skip A and go straight to Broadsword.
Quite. Benefit escaped the book treatment. Broadsword deserves the full fat package.
I think the series will more likely go back in time to bring earlier reissues in line with the current format. I don’t see too many of the later albums being economically viable (same applies to Yes I’m told) – Broadsword may be the obvious exception, and perhaps Crest.
The SW remixes on this year’s RSD release sound fantastic.
RSD?
Record Store Day
“This 10”, six track 33 1/3 mini LP follows the Jethro Tull Moths 10” issued for RSD 2018.
Five of the six tracks are drawn from the Stormwatch-related single “North Sea Oil/Elegy” and the Home EP. Both releases were originally issued in the last quarter of 1979 around the release of the Stormwatch album. “North Sea Oil” and the sixth track, a previously unissued early version of ‘Dun Ringill’, have been remixed by Steven Wilson and will also appear on the forthcoming Stormwatch 40th Anniversary Edition. Limited to 6000 copies worldwide.”
Ahhh. **Runs off the David’s Books**
Still available over at Burning Shed.